


the stages of falling in love

by ultomorrow



Series: stages of love [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Dates, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Angst, Stars, Studying, playlists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 11:15:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20007397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultomorrow/pseuds/ultomorrow
Summary: the stages of renjun and jeno's love story





	the stages of falling in love

**Author's Note:**

> I was going to split this into chapters but decided not too but instead to keep it as one big story. This is the first part of a 2 story series and i made this one nothing but happy for a reason. There is also a playlist for this story  
> [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14W47QU56Od3XZ2HywYcpo?si=Xq57jOK3SMeCgJeaHHQm_A)
> 
> Please enjoy!

Stage 1: The first sight  
If you ask Jeno about the first time he had ever seen Renjun. He would tell the story of the encounter in the library of their university, they were looking to rent the same textbook for a quick study session, but there was only one copy of the book and the rental was two hours. Renjun had beat jeno to the counter and asked for the book when Renjun turned around and was met with Jeno’s defeated face  
“Oh, where you looking for the same book?” renjun asked looking up to the other  
“Um yeah, it fine, I have time, I can come back later” jeno sadi laughing it off,, in reality he didn't have much time, had was already behind in the class and he had other classes he was behind in  
“Are you sure, because we can share it” renjun said  
“Yeah, I have other classes to study for” jeno said flashing a smile at renjun.  
Jeno walked up to the counter and rented out the philosophy book and smiled at renjun before heading to the quiet tier level of the library, but at that point studying was out the window because all he could think about was the cutest boy he had ever seen.  
If you ask renjun about the first encounter, it was at the library, it was the first day of classes, it had only been syllabus week, so renjun hadn’t been paying much attention since, all that same information was on the class page. Thats until, a taller boy, with a lean yet awfully fit build walked in uttering a small sorry to the professor who dismissed him to sit. Renjun wasn’t sure what about the boy had caused him to follow the boy with his eyes back to his seat, he watched as the boy fumbled with his backpack and his more than irritated expression, renjun thought he was beautiful in a weird “i don’t even know you” way. As the class progressed, everyday renjun would watch the boy, and each day renjun would feel his heartbeat whenever he walked into the room, usually late, and huffed as he sat his stuff on the table. The encounter at the library was just a crazy coincidence, Renjun had heard the door fly open the library followed by heavy breathing behind him as if someone had rushed, he glanced behind him to see the boy from his studpid world history class, he had heard his friends who were also kinda renjun’s friends call him jeno. Renjun could feel his heart race, he turned around knowing exactly what he was there for, he was never in class on time, of course he had missed a bunch of assignments  
“We can share” renjun said and immediately regretted, he saw the boys eyes widen before shooting it down, he went to rent another book and before renjun could say anything the boy ran up the stairs to the no noise level, and renjun decided to not follow and to leave him alone. But renjun couldn’t focus on homework all he could think about was Jeno.

Stage 2: might have a crush  
It had been weeks since the encounter and all of a sudden, jeno sees renjun everywhere on campus, in places had hadn’t ever before, which was surprising because it was a big campus, and it was weird that he magically started showing up, it was either that or Jeno has imagining renjun, that was until Renjun was the one to walk into class late. Jeno had never realized that he was there until now when he was late, and the only open seat was next to jeno. The boy looked over at jeno and gave a soft smile.  
“You’re late” jeno said, mentaly slapping himself  
“Yeah, haha i woke up super late”  
“I didn’t know you were even in this class”  
“Yeah, I know, your always late to this class”  
“You’ve noticed”  
“Yes, everyone has noticed you know that person that scheduled yourself a 9am class knowing you won’t get up on time”  
“Yeah, that was actually Mark, he said they are usually really chill and you don’t have to work as hard, but he is a music major and he was taking an art appreciation class.”  
“Mark Lee?”  
“yeah , you know mark?”  
“Yeah we went to high school together”  
“He’s my bio partner, we hung out all the time, he’s always talking about Donghyuck”  
“Ahhh yes hyuck, how about we all have lunch together sometime, we all already know each other”  
“That would be nice” renjun says now blushing  
They both agreed on a time and Jeno texted his friends to meet up for lunch to which they all agreed, even the high schoolers that never seemed to be in school despite the fact that it's their senior year. 

They all decided to meet at the pizza place block off campus it was convenient for everyone. Jeno and Renjun arrived late since they walked together from class. The entire walk they talked Jneo learned that Renjun moved to Korea from China when he was 13, he is a science major and he has dedicated his first year to getting all his gen ed classes done, jeno was still an undecided major, and was kinda ashamed that renjun seemed to have his life somewhat together, he was smart really really smart and jeno found that increasingly charming. Renjun said he was gonna go abroad to study during his senior year, with each word renjun said to him, jeno felt his heart swell more and more.

Halfway through lunch Mark stopped chewing and looked over to jeno.  
“So how do you and renjun know each other?” mark asked  
“Same way you to do we met in class” jeno responded shaking his head  
“Oh” was all mark said a smirk forming as he looked between the two boys who were laughing about something.

Once Lunch was over Renjun asked jeno to go back to the library with him to study world history together, and of course Jeno said yes. Come to find out, Jeno was actually really really good at world history, Renjun was amazed at how he could remember so many dates and names and battles and civilizations and dynasties. Renjun looked at jeno in awe as the boy explained the French Revolution to Renjun in detail, because renjun said he just didn’t understand it. Renjun had stopped listening to Jeno halfway though and just stared.  
“What. am i going to fast” jeno asked kinda panicked  
“No, no, you are just really smart, and you explain it really well” renjun said looking to the table.  
“Oh, haha thank you” jeno said a blush threatening his cheeks 

This is how almost everyday ended, after both boys finished their classes they would meet in the library in the exact same stop, someone bringing snacks and drinks and they would study until the library closed, most of the time it turned to them laughing and messing around. 

After months of “studying” together, Jeno began to notice the way his feet would walk faster to the library with each day, or he would wake up in the morning and pick out nicer outfits because he knew that he would see Renjun, Jeno noticed that everytime Renjun laughs at one of his bad jokes, jeno’s heart would be rapidly to the point it made him lose his breath. Jeno started spending every moment of every day, thinking about Renjun even when he didn’t want to. Jeno had been in other relationships before, but none of them came even close to the way he felt this time around, this time Jeno felt love.

“It's been two month bro” Jaemin said  
“You don’t understand jaem, renjun is so different, i think i really really like him.”  
“Really” jaemin said sitting down to reach eye level with Jeno  
“Yes, I love his giggle, and the way his eyes shine when he talks about something he loves, and the way he pouts when he’s concentrating really hard, I love his voice it’s so calming, and jaemin please I am in deep I like him so so much”  
“Okay, tell him”  
“Huh”  
“Tell him, take him to a place where he likes and tell him”  
“He likes art, and moomin, which by the way, is very addicting considering its a cartoon, he likes the stars and the planets, he likes music, he-”  
“Dude” jaemin cut him off “mix them all into one, you like him a lot i can tell by the way you just keep going on about him” jaemin said making a disgusted face  
“Imma ask him tomorrow when we go study”  
“Y’all do not study”  
“Yes we do for the first 20 minutes”

The next day jeno was already waiting for renjun, he had brought all the snacks and drinks renjun had ever said he liked,or he would talk about that reminded him of home. Jeno knew this was kinda cheesy but he didn’t care because seeing Renjun’s face light up was enough.  
“Jeno” renjun began “how did you find all these”  
“Well, some of it I just went to a store, and the other stuff i went all over looking for a chinese grocery store, until eventually I gave up and asked my friend chenle who bought everything and delivered it to me”  
“Thank you jen” renjun said with a smile, picking up the food  
Jeno felt his heat race with the new nickname  
“Actually,” jeno began “I was wondering if this weekend you- we- if you’d like too-” jeno had became a rambling mess  
“Yes” renjun cut jeno off  
“Huh”  
“Yes, i would love too”  
Jeno broke into the biggest smile, renjun noticed his eyes formed crescents when he smiled that big, it was beautiful.

Stage 3: a date??  
Jeno had it planned out perfectly, he had a whole mental agenda of how everything would happen today, he had been planning the perfect “date” since Renjun said yes because Jeno was not expecting him to say yes. At every study session since that night where after renjun said yes they sat in the library and ate snacks and talked about everything. Ever since that night, jeno had been listening to renjun to listen to things he likes to do, and they food places he likes until the night before the date where jeno sat down next to his roommate jaemin and stressed over the places and activities he compiled.  
“So, you called me in here to help you only for you to sit here and stare at the fucking list jeno please” jaemin said with tiredness lacing his voice  
“I’m sorry, I'm sorry, you just know what you’re doing and i don’t”  
“No jeno i really don’t, it’s your date, you can set this up im going to bed”  
“Fine, don’t ask for anything then since you have contributed nothing”  
“I’ll hurt you lee jeno” jaemin said, but you could hear him smiling as he trudged to him room.  
Jeno stared at the list he had written down, jeno finally decided on a grand date  
-take renjun to get jasmine tea, since he likes it so much  
-science museum  
-moomin cafe  
That one kinda worried jeno, he was cool with the show but let's be honest, a cafe was kinda strange  
-observatory  
-painting class  
-dinner  
Jeno wasn’t actually sure what to eat so he left it very open  
-find the perfect place to tell him  
Jeno was pretty proud of his plan, he thought way too hard about it and vowed to make sure that renjun had the best day ever. Just as jeno went to turn off the lights in the dorm he got a text from renjun 

Renjun:  
I can’t wait for tomorrow! I hope you have a fun day planned, if not it you and me in the library 3rd floor fighting to the death 

Jeno:  
It's gonna be fun, i promise. Beside i'm much bigger than you, I wouldn't try 

Renjun:  
You watch it lee jeno, I'll see you tomorrow

Jeno:  
Good night 

The next Morning jeno woke up semi early for a Saturday, when went into the kitchen and say a just woken up jaemin with coffee in one hand and his eyes fixed on a spot of the floor, jaemin wasn’t a morning person and this was how he coped. Jeno scooted past him for a cup  
“Why are you up so early” jeno asked  
“Mark”  
“Huh”  
“You aren’t the only one with a love life jeno”  
“Huh”

Jeno got dressed in something casual yet still kinda nice nothing too unusual for him to wear, he hadn’t felt like contacts today so he opted for glasses. Once he was ready he texted renjun and was at his dorm in the matter of minutes, when renjun opened the door he stared at jeno, renjun had never seen jeno with glasses and honestly, renjun thought jeno should wear them more, they made him look softer in a way.  
“Ready” jeno asked  
“ y-yeah, lets go”  
As they walked to the first place which was a tea place jeno had searched for what feels like hours for  
“So what are we doing to” renjun asked  
“Um stuff” jeno said looking at renjun  
“Like”  
“ do you trust me”  
“Yes”  
“Then stop asking questions”

The air was getting bitter due to the changing seasons, by the time they reached the cafe their noses had turned slightly pink  
“Jasmine tea cafe?” renjun asked looking at jeno  
“Yeah, you are always talking about how much you like it so i thought it would be nice, unless you don’t like it, then we can go somewhere else” jeno started stuttering out causing a laugh from renjun  
“Jen, its okay, i love jasmine tea, i can’t believe you remembered that much”  
Jeno started the blush as he looked down at the ground  
“Hah yeah, I remembered a lot” jeno said looking at the boy  
“Oh haha” Renjun was now the one looking at the ground  
The two went into the cafe and both ordered jasmine tea, and a coffee cake, which Jeno found that name ironic because they were drinking tea and not coffee and when he pointed this out to Renjun, the boy gave Jeno a blank look.

After the boys had spent over 30 minutes in the cafe, Jeno rushed them to get a cab to get them to the science museum.  
“Why are we in such a hurry Jeno”  
“Because I want to make sure we get everything in today”  
“Jeno please calm down even if we don’t, we can come back a different day”  
“o-okay”  
“Where are we going to first”  
“The National Science Museum, they have like skeletons and stuff and it’s cool, and I found they have a whole exhibit for space right now that you would like”  
“awe, thank you”  
the boys arrived at the museum and renjun was immediately taken in, he ran around pulling Jeno by the wrist behind him as he explained stuff to Jeno in a hurry but still making sure they had time to look at each thing. Once they reached the space floor Renjun’s mouth hung open.  
“Wow”  
all Jneo could do was look at the boy and smile, they spent an hour in that one exhibit, the highlight being the constellation room, they walked in and it was as if they had walked straight into space, all the constellations in the split system had begun to unfold in front of them, Renjun grabbed Jeno by the hand and dragged him to the center of the room, and dragged them both down to the ground to look up  
“When is your birthday” Renjun asked  
“April 23” Jeno said questioned  
Renjun then pointed to a certain grouping of stars  
“That’s you, its taurus, and over there..” he said, pointing to another group of stars, “is me, that’s Aries”  
Renjun told Jeno about every constellation he could find, Jeno watched as the boy pointed and talked with the biggest smile on his face, even though the room was dimly lit, Jneo could see the boy’s eyes sparkle.  
“Do you know why I love this so much Jeno”  
“Why”  
“Because it’s endless, the space never ends meaning more mysterious to be solved”  
“like alternate universes”  
“Yep”  
“Wow”  
“Am the stars are simply beautiful,kinda like something else I have come to love”  
“And what is that”  
“a secret”  
Jneo just hummed and shook his head. Once they finally left the museum, they had both gotten hungry  
“Well I found a really cute cafe kinda deal” Jeno said with excitement  
“Let’s go then”  
When they arrived at the moomin cafe Renjun stared at Jeno  
“These exist” Renjun asked  
“Umm yeah I guess so, looks I looked hard for one here so deal”  
“I mean it’s so cute, I just didn’t know they existed”  
The two went into the cafe which was super packed and when the two finally sat down, they simply ordered lemonades and pancakes.  
“We can pick a character to eat with” Renjun said clapping  
“Huh”  
“Like a stuffed character, let’s pick one”  
“I don’t remember the characters like that”  
“Okay then I’ll pick, how about moomin and snorkmaiden, it’s literally us”  
“What does that even mean”  
“It just is okay” Renjun said smiling at Jeno who couldn’t help but smile back. They spent an hour in that cafe eating, taking pictures with the live characters, it was full of Jeno giving confused looks and renjun smiling brightly. 

Jeno mentally scracted of the observatory because they had spent so much time in the other place, and time was in kinda a crunch for him now.  
“I was thinking we would go to a painting class” jeno said  
“Umm jen, it's 5:00 are there any open?” renjun asked  
They both search and there were none available still  
Renjun watched as jeno’s face turned to defeat  
“Hey, it fine, like I said there is always other days”  
“I guess, i had the perfect day planned”  
“It's not ruined, text jaemin and tell him to leave the dorm” renjun said suddenly  
“Huh”  
“Let’s order take out and just sit and watch movies or something”  
“i - um- he’s gone, he’s with Mark”  
“Good” renjun smiled at jeno who just looked at the boy who had altered all jeno’s plans for the night but somehow jeno didn’t care, because it was him

The two ordered take out which Renjun picked out, and jeno forcefully paid for,and returned to jeno’s dorm which was as expected, empty. The two ate their dinner and didn’t actually watch movies they again just talked, both preferred it anyway. Once they Finished jeno took a deep breath and thought this was the best time if ever  
“Renjun…”

Stage 4: Confession  
“... i know this is gonna sound crazy, or like maybe not, im not the best at hiding my feelings so like you probably already not, not that im assuming anything, but you sometimes people just have like and what is it called an intuition…..”  
Jeno was doing it again, he had a whole script in his mind and once again he was frozen up and going on rambling, as renjun just watched, not knowing if this was cute, or if he should stop him.  
“Jeno, take a deep breathe” renjun cut him off  
“Okay, renjun, I like you”  
“Huh” renjun sai dhis eyes widening, he had known, but for some reason hearing it out of Jeno’s mouth left him stunned and unable to form words  
“I like you, like a lot, it's been months and I have loved every moment, I like everything about you Renjun, i have never felt this way about anyone else and I don't know if you feel the same way and if you don’t it's okay, I just want you to know that, if we can, can we please make something happen between us…”  
“Is that why you were so persistent of giving me the perfect day?’  
“Yes, that's exactly why”  
“Jeno, you didn’t need to take me on a date to tell me, you could have told me in the badly lit library, and I would have the same reaction and the same feeling as I do now, I have liked you for so long”  
“Y-you have”  
“Yes”  
Jeno took renjun’s hand  
“Well then please, Huang Renjun..”  
“Pause” renjun interrupted “you said my last name wong”  
“Oh my god, i- um- im so sorry” jeno started causing a laugh from renjun  
“I’m kidding, you are just cute when you stutter”  
“Not funny, anyway, Will you please...Renjun stop laughing you are making this soppy romantic moment really hard”  
“Yes jeno! I will be your boyfriend”  
Jeno’s eyes turned into the crescents that renjun had fallen in love with, before pulling renjun into a soft quick kiss on the lips, but it was still enough to leave renjun breathless and jeno’s cheeks pink  
“Finally” renjun said in almost whisper, with a smile, just as renjun was about to reclose the space between us, the door opened, with a wide eyed jaemin now in the living room, with an equally shocked mark behind him.  
“So..” jaemin began  
“Just go to your room, we’ll talk later” jeno said looking between jaemin and mark who was looking at jeno and Renjun’s intertwined hands.  
“That's a good idea” jaemin said before pulling mark in the room.  
Jeno turned back to renjun and they both broke into laughs, once they calmed down, jeno kissed renjun again.

Stage 5: love  
Jeno’s favorite thing about dating renjun was that he was jeno’s best friend, he could just kiss him. They still had their study sessions except now the held hand and shared soft kisses sometimes. The short fights they had were usually stupid and solved quickly. Everyday jeno felt like he was falling more and more in love with Renjun, and jeno could only hope to spend the rest of his life with him and no one else.

**Author's Note:**

> My twitter [ultomorrow](https://twitter.com/ultomorrow)  
> My curious Cat [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/ultomorrow)


End file.
